The Broken Window
by Yusagi
Summary: Another way the Girl in the Fireplace could have gone.


Disclaimer: Etc owning nothing

AN: This is one of a few alternate scenarios of this episode I've had in my head for awhile. I might write out other variations later.

**_The Broken Window_**

She's not sure why she was under the impression he had a plan previously: maybe it had to do with the way he swished around all determined and growly, bristling so much she started to have visions of Time Lord the case, it's uniquely frustrating to be standing in the bridge, staring out at a royal court about to be slaughtered _just _after she'd spoken to the Madame and promised to do something about it.

The Doctor is working on something, but if he's not saying what it is, he doesn't have enough hope in it working to bother. He's doing it to keep his hands busy and feel like he's doing something. She knows that look. She knows the shouting, too, calling back to his last face, lashing out at Mickey in his frustration.

It's not fair to Mickey, but she understands his frustration. She _feels _it too. "Well we've gotta try something!"

"No, smash the glass, smash the time window, there'd be no way back." He's too calm about that, she realizes. She recognizes that tone, too. She's traveled with him long enough: it's his 'I have an answer but I won't take it because it's not an acceptable one'.

For a few moments she stares at him. That horse, Arthur, huffs in a corner, clearly annoyed at the lack of greenery present on the station...and then it clicks. Something she heard once in school that she never really paid attention to. One of those odd little details that stuck with her just because of how odd it was.

He glances up in her direction just in time to register recognition as she sprints across the room. "Rose, _no_! What did I just tell you?"

She doesn't look at him. She can't. If she does she'll stop and she _knows_, she _knows _he'll end up doing it. She just keeps running and remembers the old pommel horse trick she'd learned in gym. The angle is different, but being on a platform above Arthur helps and...she seats herself with little enough fuss.

That's when she finally turns to look at him, still transfixed and terrified in his spot, not yet moved to stop her. Which is good, she's not running him down. Or Mickey, but...well. Mickey's not caught on yet. "Power of a truck, right? That's what you've been avoiding. The horse can get through, and when the time window breaks, they won't be able to jump back? So they can't do anything to her. It's the only answer."

"Rose, _stop it_, if you go through there that's _it_. I can't use the TARDIS to bring you back. You'll be _stuck there_!"

She knows. He said that. She _knows_, she really does. But it's her or him. One of them has to go, and this way...this way he can take Mickey home. He can tell her Mum she's alright. France isn't so bad, right? At least she'll be on Earth. She forces herself to smile, summons the strength to still her trembling lip, and nods. "And _you _won't be."

She doesn't wait for an answer. she leans forward, digs her heels in, and _launches _with a shout. She can hear his scream even over the sound of the glass shattering and the shouts of surprise from the ballroom.

She can hear the moment the connection severs and silence falls on the ballroom. She beams down at the Madame, who stares up at her in confusion, and drops to the ground with a flourish. "Always wanted to do that. Hope I'm not interrupting?"

The King shouts something and she turns to him with a cheeky smile. "Sorry, didn't you get the memo? I'm Rose. And your welcome for saving your life, by the way. Could do with a nice apartment or something in thanks, actually."

"Where is the Doctor?" That one's the Madame, and Rose turns to her with all the flourish and bravado she's learned from the Doctor. He'd be proud, really he would.

"Oh, holding down the fort." She waves a hand. "Can't always save the day, he'd get terribly big headed." She spins around on her heel, planting her hands on her hips and surreptitiously glancing at the mirror. It's just bricks, exactly as she knew it would be. "So! Bunch of clockwork droids! You've got a site-to-site transport in your wrist, right? But I bet you it doesn't have a 'time' setting anywhere on it, does it?"

The droid closest to her tilts its head at her, and she thinks it's as good as a 'no it doesn't' as she's going to get. "Right, well." She nods to the mirror. "You'll note your ride's gone. Mine too, actually, so I guess we're gonna have to be friends...now that there's no point in taking anyone's brains...?"

Yeah, that last bit is hope. She doesn't have much but 'run' if they're vindictive robots. But that's not how the Doctor characterized them. So...if he's right...there shouldn't be any more slabs and buzz-saws if there's no station to repair. Right?

For a few moments it stares at the window, before it smacks the button on its wrist a few times. She holds her breath for a moment-and she's not sure if she wants it to work or _not_. If it does...if it does, she can get home, but the Doctor will still have to wait to get her until whenever the next window is, and she'll have to deal with angry robots until then.

Nothing happens.

She lets out her breath and nods. "See? Broken. We're both trapped here. And there's nothing here that'll fix that. Even if you could get the parts you want, you'd never be able to use it. You're done...like me."

For a few tense moments, the clockwork droid stares at her again...and then it slumps over. Afterward the others do as well, one even topples to the ground and shatters. She sighs in relief and drops her hands to her stomach to force down the horrible twisting feeling in it.

She did it. The Madame De Pompadour is saved, everyone is safe, and the Doctor...he...he isn't _alone_. Not really. He has his TARDIS and Mickey still! And he'll...he'll find a way. Probably. Even if he doesn't...

"What happened to them?" The Madame had stood at some point and came to stand next to her. She starts a bit, and turns her attention to the woman.

"They've stopped. They were only doing it to repair their station and...they haven't got one anymore. They haven't got a reason to function anymore."

She's not sure at what point the other blonde's attention shifted from the droids to her, but the woman's slim hand startles her again when it settles on her shoulder. She stares at the hand for a few moments, and when her gaze meets the Madame's, there's a terrifying amount of understanding in the woman's eyes.

...

"I've checked-all the other windows are closed. So we're not a part of the events anymore, right? We can go back now, can't we?"

The Doctor stands in place, behind the same console he'd been standing when Mickey had run off to check the other time windows around the ship. He might as well have turned to stone for all he's moved. His hands are settled at the console, knuckles turned white with the strength he grips the metal. His eyes are red-rimmed and sparkling, and his face remains stained with the tears he'd initially shed when she broke the window. His mouth hangs partway open as if he'd forgotten to close it all of the way after the shout, and he barely even breathes. He just...stares at the metal where the window used to be, like he can see through it to where Rose is.

Mickey is more than a little frightened his driver has just gone catatonic, and he has no idea what to do to fix him.

"Doctor. We can use the TARDIS now, can't we? Doctor!"

No response.

Out of desperation he approaches the Time Lord, grabs his arms and forces him to look away from the window, shaking him. "Doctor, it's _Rose_!"

For a moment all the intensity he's ever seen in the Time Lord's eyes focuses on him-angry, hurt, accusing-but he stands his ground. Rose wouldn't be where she is now if not for the Doctor failing to find a better way through in time. The moment passes, the light fades from the Doctor's eyes again, and he looks away, and guilt and hopelessness swallows up any hope Mickey has of rousing the Doctor to action.

...

It turned out alright, as far as getting stranded in 18th century France went. The Madame-she said she could call her Reinette, so _that's _progress-spoke up for her and ensured the King understood how much his life had been saved, and in return she'd been given a position of negligible power and a half decent room.

It could be worse, really, she could have been thrown out or banished or...beheaded for wearing outlandish clothes. They keep staring at her over her clothes, actually. The Queen herself had thanked her, but the whole time she'd been staring at her clothes. Rose likes to think it's out of jealousy. Nothing about the dresses look comfortable.

It's been almost six hours, all told. The Doctor hasn't come. Of course he hasn't: he'd said it would be a one-way trip and it is. The TARDIS can't pop into established events and even if it did, there's too much danger the droids might re-activate at any sign of actual working time travel.

So. This is it. Decadence and wine and ballrooms. 18th century France. This is her life now. At least it's Earth. Her Mum'll be happy to...to find a grave at least...right? It's not that long of a trek and-Casanova's during this time isn't he? She could still explore and see historical figures! It's...it's really not so...

"You've been to so many." Reinette still seems to be making a habit of interrupting her thoughts and startling her. At least she manages not to jump this time, turning her gaze from the stars she...hadn't quite realized she'd started staring at.

"Well...not many you can see from here. Most've those aren't habitable. S'what the Doctor said, anyway." She shrugs.

"And still, you've seen such wondrous sights. Beyond the scope of heaven." The woman smiles softly, staring up at the stars. "I have often wished to see them all up close. As you have with so many more than I could ever have dreamed."

"They look different up close, you know. More like the sun, really. Not all...sparkling diamonds like they look from here." She lifts a shoulder in another shrug. "You...sort've stop noticing them, actually. The planets around them...those are the ones that always change."

For a moment, she's silent, Rose thinks she's simply observing the stars and lost in thought, but no, when she sneaks a glance over at the woman, she is in fact studying _her_. It's a little unnerving. "You've become trapped here."

"Yeah, well...someone had to. They'd have killed you otherwise." She turns her attention back to the stars, rather than face that particular uncomfortable situation.

"It need not have been you."

She frowns over at the woman, but...oddly Reinette is smiling at her. Faint, but there. "Better than someone else."

"You gave up your life of monsters and wonder and became trapped here to protect him from making the same choice."

She can't help it. She just can't help the faint, resigned smile at that observation. "Poetic way of putting it. I'd have gone with 'jumped on a horse in the heat of the moment' myself."

The woman frowns faintly in thought. "There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of those?"

Rose laughs at that and shakes her head. "Nah. No offense, but I sort of snuck away and tried that right after the ballroom. All of the tapestries and mirrors are broken now. The shock of the broken time window severed all the connections at once. Which is good, cos otherwise the plan wouldn't have worked." She sips at the wine she'd picked up from the celebration in the other room-her Mum would have loved to have a chance to drink-what was this? 17th century vintage? "I'll just...move into that room, I guess. I might-" she flashes Reinette a guilty smile, "-might need some help with the dresses. I think I might drown trying to get into 'em properly."

The Madame smiles and shakes her head. "They are not so complex when you've learned their ways."

"I'm gonna have to trust you on that...'cos I don't think I'm gonna get away with wearin' this forever." She laughs, and she's not even sure how she can, but...she does. It makes her feel infinitesimally better for a moment. "Still...guess I always used to like dresses. Bet I could wear one of those well."

The woman gives an indulgent smile. "I believe you would look beautiful in one."

"Guess we'll see now, yeah? Maybe I'll manage to glide around and not trip and break my neck in those shoes, too."

Reinette laughs. "I have no doubt you would have taken well to the dress, dear Rose. And to this life."

She squints over at the woman. "'Would've'? Don't see how I've got much choice now, unless you've got...a _really good _tailor?"

"Come with me." The woman offers a kind smile. "You have saved my life. Now let me save yours."

Rose hates that strange swell of hope that answers Reinette's words. Whatever Reinette means...it's...she probably means a great seamstress or a life outside of court where she won't have to deal with politics. In fact, she _has _to, because there simply isn't any way possible to get home. Even if there were, how would Reinette know of it?

She tells herself, then, that it's purely out of curiosity that she follows so closely after the woman through the twists and turns of the palace, until eventually she finds herself in...a...bedroom?

Rose glances at Reinette in confusion. "What...?"

"The fireplace. It is the original fireplace through which you and the Doctor communicated with me as a child. I had it moved here, exactly as it was."

She blinks, wandering up to the fireplace. There's nothing broken, nothing cracked about it. Could...possibly? "Why? When did you...?"

"Many years ago, when I moved here. In the hope that it might one day open again. It appears undamaged, does it not? Will it still work?"

She...honestly, Rose's expertise with these things ends about where the Doctor stopped talking about them, and he'd summed things up with 'magic door' for the most part. She has no idea. But...oh, the idea is a tantalizing one. Hope hangs out to her, so barely out of reach. It _has _to work now. It has to, because giving her this hope...letting her believe even for a short while that she can get home...it's too painful to just rip that away from her again.

"I don't know...but...if it's in one piece it must mean it wasn't connected to the ship at the time the shock wave went through. Maybe...are you sure it's exact? Everything?"

The woman frowns. "I was very specific."

"Maybe...I don't know. But...if a magic door doesn't match exactly the way it's supposed to it doesn't work, right?" She glances back at Reinette, but the woman looks more confused than ever. That's okay. So is she.

But she has hope. That makes her resourceful, and that's what's important. She squints and studies and knocks at the bricks for a few moments-really probably a minute or more-before...there! One stone slightly loose. Maybe it's supposed to be, but...

She pushes it in and bites her lip, turning back to Reinette. "Right. That's the best I've got. Hopefully it works, yeah?"

She stands up, and turns to Reinette. "What does he...it's this thing, right?"

The woman nods, expression hesitant, perhaps even anxious. And why not? If it works, Rose supposes they might even be able to take her to see the stars she wanted. She takes a breath, pulls the weird little mantlepiece and...it turns! She glances just in time to catch a faint, oddly regretful looking smile on Reinette's face.

She sort of expects to be mobbed the moment she crosses over, but then...why would they be looking at the other windows when the Doctor would know without looking they've all been broken. It has been six hours for her...with the time discrepancy it could be moments for them. Or hours. Maybe he's already gone? She bites her lip and draws in a breath, spinning toward the fireplace again in lieu of going forward to see if the TARDIS will still be parked properly, or if she's just come here only to-no! She has her mobile on her, didn't she? Even if he's gone she can...she can definitely call the TARDIS and bring him back. No problem at all.

"Reinette! Are you still there?"

After a moment, the woman kneels down in front of the fireplace, a strange sort of mirror to the girl she'd seen through the portal only hours ago. "You wanna see the stars, yeah? So come with. Just...you'll need something less..." She gestures at the woman's gown. "Poofy. Something fit for running."

Reinette smiles at that and nods. "I believe I have such a garment in my wardrobe."

"Good then. Change into that and...go...pick one of those stars, yeah? I'll go fetch the Doctor and we can start with that one." In a way, as the Madame skitters off and she straightens, knowing that Reinette's hopes ride on this as well helps. The universe can't smash both of their hopes, can it?

She steels herself, and sprints out of the room into the bridge. The TARDIS is missing, and for a horrible, _terrible _moment she realizes he's done what he's always done: he's run away, fled from what's hurt him, and maybe getting into contact with him won't be as easy as dialing his number. She's so transfixed by the sight, she doesn't even notice anyone else is in the room until he speaks. "...Rose?"

She turns, spins really, just in time to see the Doctor's look of surprise-if not shock-melt into something else much more like relief. Or...concern? She doesn't know: she doesn't have time to analyze it. As soon as she sees him she starts running, and they aren't really all that far apart to begin with. A few steps for her, one or two for him, and he's swept her up into his arms, strong and bony and frail all at once, lifting her off of her feet and crushing her to him with slightly more strength than is really in the best interests for her circulation. But that's alright, because she's clinging to him almost as tight, burying a grin of relief and giddiness into his shoulder just to stave off the tears that want to flow instead. She thought she'd lost him. That she'd lost...all of this. She'd never see him again, or the TARDIS, or Mickey or her mother. She'd spent six hours thinking she'd lost her home-him-forever.

"Don't you _dare_ do that again!" He snaps with desperation and anger, voice thick with the strain of hiding whatever else he's feeling...and she laughs. It's ridiculous to laugh. It's not funny, not at all. There's nothing remotely funny about how close that call was, or how worried and upset he must have been, but...but...she's _home_, and that's what matters.

That's all that's important now. And maybe that's infectious, because when he sets her down and cups her cheek in a hand, his eyes crinkle in a grin as well. "Rose _Tyler_-"

"_Rose_!"

She startles and arches to look around the Doctor-as he, too, turns with a look of mild surprise-at Mickey. Just stumbling out of the TARDIS...on the other side of the room. He runs forward and she holds out her arms with a grin, letting him spin her in a hug. "Oof-Mickey!"

"I knew you'd find it! I knew it! When the TARDIS couldn't land in France the Doctor said there must have been a partial connection still there, and then I saw the fireplace was still intact! He said something about a loose connected and sonicked it, but it still didn't work so there had to be something physical on your side wrong! I _knew _you'd fix it eventually!"

"Oi, that's _we _knew. Not just you." The Doctor huffs in annoyance as Mickey sets her down, and it occurs to her finally to ask what she'd been wondering since she'd arrived.

"How long was it? On this side?"

The Doctor lifts a shoulder in a shrug. "Twelve hours."

"_Twelve?_" That's twice the speed it took for her. It probably had something to do with the wonky connection, but..."You waited twelve hours?"

His lips twitch into a faint smile. "You always wait twelve hours, Rose. Never a minute less."

"_Oh! _Reinette!"

He frowns, serious once more, and a touch concerned. "What? The droids should have shut down harmlessly when they realized the connection was severed...and they won't have the energy left to restart again."

That last bit is a relief, but she waves her hand. "Yeah, she's fine. But she helped me. I wouldn't have known the fireplace was the same one from before. She wanted to see the stars, so I thought..."

He nods, thoughtful. "Oh, right. Yes. I'll go and get her." He gestures to the TARDIS. "There's a fresh pot of tea in the TARDIS, Mickey made it, so..." He makes a face and Mickey gives and offended exclamation, but she brushes both aside for the moment.

"I don't need tea, I'm going _with _you."

He shakes his head. "The fireplace only carries two people at a time and the time discrepancy is unstable. Anyone left behind could find the door shut for years if it acted up."

"Right then, I'll just go get her myself. We're friends, it'll be easy-"

"_Rose_!" That strain and desperation is back, and for a moment he just...stands there staring at her, silently pleading with her to understand. Of course: the fireplace might malfunction when she goes back through again. The connection is touchy. It could be years...or...the fix might need a sonic screwdriver on _that _side this time. Or there's nothing wrong with it, and he's just...afraid.

For a moment she stares back at him, battling over who got to risk themselves this time, and then Mickey grabs her hand. "Rose...don't."

The Doctor's expression softens a moment, an unspoken 'it's my turn' in his gaze, before he starts off toward the fireplace again. He's too quick for her to stop him this time, so she just...stares after him and allows Mickey to drag her into the TARDIS.

It's nice enough just stepping onto the TARDIS, hearing the familiar hum and feeling that warmth. She realizes, on stepping inside, she must not have ever truly lost the connection to the TARDIS: Otherwise she'd have lost the ability to communicate with them, wouldn't she have? Mickey goes off to get the tea, but she chooses to sit in the jump seat and relax for a little bit. It has been a long day, honestly, and she is looking forward to going somewhere nice and relaxing far away from France. Which is likely, as she can't imagine Reinette will want to go to Earth first.

She's not sure how long she sits there, but it can't be very long, before the Doctor reappears, solemn, frowning, and distinctly without company. Rose frowns and stands-had he gotten stuck? How long had it been? She should have- "Doctor?"

He glances up at her, meanders up to the console, and leans against it. "She...she's not coming. It's fine, though."

She makes her way over to him and touches his arm. "Doctor. What happened?"

He's quiet for a moment or two, before shaking his head. "Time discrepancy. By the time I arrived it was...too late. Post-Revolution." He draws in a breath, pulling back up his walls, though still not quite able to smile properly. "But that's _fine_. It's...she had history to live out. Couldn't go gallivanting across time and space in the middle of her life. It'd have changed history books just to have her disappear in the prime of her life like that. And she wouldn't thank us to come back and find some other mistress taken her place. Frightened the new resident of the room half to death, though. I imagine we're going to give the Palace of Versailles a reputation for being _haunted_."

There's his cheeky grin, in almost full force, as he circles around, putting something into the TARDIS and launching them off-running away from something that's caused him pain. As he always does. In this case...she can't really blame him. After the Madame had grown up wishing to see the stars, after the woman had saved her, after she'd promised...Rose isn't sure if it's worse to think she might have died bitter, or still hoping for them to return.

She bites her lip and circles around the console, placing her hand over his. He stills immediately, turning a wary gaze on her as if afraid she'll push him for more while he's trapped flying the TARDIS. She might be insulted he'd think that, if she stopped to think about it herself, but...why would she? Not when she already knew how he felt. She smiles softly and squeezes his hand. "...D'you want tea?"

For a moment he remains staring at her, tense, ready to flee or retreat into himself again...and then finally the tension drains into a faint smile. "...Yeah. I could go for a cuppa. Just let me set her down." The energy returns to his limbs as she steps back, and he quickly turns a few dials and presses a few more buttons, letting the TARDIS down-somewhere-with a thump. He glances up then, all traces of his dark mood hidden for the moment. "_Although_...it's _Mickey's_..."

She laughs and holds out a hand to him. "Mickey's isn't so bad if you add a bit of sugar." He makes a face as they walk, and she can't help the way her lips twitch into a smile. "_Alright_, a _lot _of sugar."

He snorts, apparently content to be led along the TARDIS by the hand. "There's not enough sugar on the TARDIS." For a moment, he's silent, before he finally chirps, "Maybe a chopped banana."


End file.
